The issue with Lamar Jackson is not so much black and white as it is all of the shades of gray.

If the University of Louisville’s prolific quarterback suffers from racial stereotyping, as numerous analysts have concluded or implied, his highest hurdle is uncertainty. Jackson plays a position notoriously difficult to project with a gear rarely seen and with a shotgun-style foundation that does not lend itself to NFL comparisons.

Knowing what he has done at Louisville cannot tell you what he will do at the next level.

Jackson’s physical tools — his speed, elusiveness and arm strength — are clearly extraordinary. His technical flaws — his footwork and throwing mechanics — can probably be fixed. Yet what separates prolific college quarterbacks from successful pros is their ability to process information at an accelerated game speed and to deliver the ball on time into tighter windows.

This is where the science ends the speculation begins, where the experts so often miscalculate and why so many quarterbacks selected in the first round turn out to be busts. Just as there are a lot of good drivers who would be overmatched in the Indianapolis 500, there are a lot of high-quality college quarterbacks who have been unable to adjust to the pace of the pro game.

David Klingler left the University of Houston as the NCAA’s Division I record-holder for touchdown passes in a season and passing yards in a single game. He was, scouts said, a whiteboard whiz, an unproven prospect who could dissect defenses in a meeting room with the expertise of an accomplished veteran.

The Cincinnati Bengals selected Klingler with the sixth selection in the 1992 NFL Draft. He was one of six quarterbacks chosen in the first round between 1990 and 1992, none of whom ever played in a Pro Bowl.

“I still can't put my finger on why it didn't work,” Bengals owner Mike Brown told the Cincinnati Enquirer years later. “He had a great arm and he was accurate. He was here at a difficult time. He didn't have the protection he needed. That was hard for him coming out of the run-and-shoot offense. Pro football is different, and so often he looked confused back there. I like David. He tried and it just didn't work.”

Jackson has several gears Klingler didn’t get. His running ability will enable him to extend plays as well as to gain ground, buying him time for windows to widen downfield. Though fears about his comparatively slight build are well-founded – the running quarterback is an endangered species in the NFL – the mere threat of Jackson’s mobility is disruptive to defensive game-planning.

University of Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson answers student questions during a press conference at West End School in Louisville, Kentucky, Friday, December 6, 2017 Bryan Woolston, @woolstonphoto

University of Louisville quarter Lamar Jackson (8) fights to break free from Murray State University's Jason Johnson (16) during the first half of play at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky. September 30, 2017
John Sommers II, John Sommers II/Special to the CJ

University of Louisville quarter Lamar Jackson (8) throws under pressure from Murray State University's defense during the first half of play at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky. September 30, 2017
John Sommers II, John Sommers II/Special to the CJ

Louisville's football team is greeted with cheers during the Cardmarch before the game against Clemson Sept. 16.Louisville's Lamar Jackson greets fans while walking towards the stadium before the game against Clemson Sept. 16. Matt Stone/The Courier-Journal

Louisville's Lamar Jackson (8) heads for the end zone and scores his first touchdown during the UofL Spring Game on Saturday at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. April 15, 2017 David Lee Hartlage/Special to the Courier-Journal

Louisville's Lamar Jackson (8) holds up his Heisman Trophy to the crowd during halftime of the UofL Spring Game on Saturday at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. April 15, 2017 David Lee Hartlage/Special to the Courier-Journal

Heisman winning quarterback Lamar Jackson acknowledges a honking car on Chestnut Street before entering Norton Children's Hospital for a day of community service by the UofL football team. 4/6/17 Marty Pearl/Special to The C-J

Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson, left was all smiles during a press conference prior to the Heisman Trophy announcement. Jackson is the favorite to win the award. Dec. 10, 2016 By Pat McDonogh / CJ

Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson, center, left the Marriott Marquis Hotel with pizza in hand as he headed to the Play Station Theater for the Heisman Trophy Award ceremony. Jackson is the favorite to win the prestigious football trophy. Dec. 10, 2016. By Pat McDonogh / CJ

Louisville's Lamar Jackson had three passing touchdowns for 355 yards and one rushing touchdown as the Cardinals rolled to 54-13 win over NC State Saturday, Oct. 22. He had six receptions for one touchdown and 118 yards. Matt Stone, The C-J

Louisville's Lamar Jackson smiles as defense coordinator Todd Grantham puts an arm around the quarterback as the Cardinals came back to win 44-12 over Wake Forest Saturday night at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. Matt Stone, The C-J

Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson had two touchdowns, one rushing for 144 net yards and 13-for-26 passing for 181 yards with one sack against a scrappy Duke team to grind out a 24-14 win Friday night. Matt Stone, The C-J

Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson and head coach Bobby Petrino had a grind-it-out game against a scrappy Duke team. Jackson had two touchdowns, one rushing for 144 net yards and 13-for-26 passing for 181 yards with one sack to help lead the Cardinals to a 24-14 win Friday night, Oct. 14. Matt Stone, The C-J

Louisville's Lamar Jackson jumps over Syracuse's Cordell Hudson and scores a touchdown in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Syracuse, N.Y., Friday, Sept. 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Nick Lisi) Nick Lisi, AP

Louisville's Lamar Jackson high-steps into the end zone for a touchdown in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game against Syracuse in Syracuse, N.Y., Friday, Sept. 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Nick Lisi) Nick Lisi, AP

Louisville Cardinals quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs into the end zone for a touchdown against the Syracuse Orange during the first quarter at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y. on Sept. 9, 2016. Rich Barnes, USA TODAY Sports

Louisville Cardinals quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) reacts following his touchdown run against the Syracuse Orange during the second quarter at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y., on Sept. 9, 2016. Rich Barnes, USA TODAY Sports

Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson tries to recover his fumble that led to a turnover that set up a Kentucky field goal in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter as the Wildcats stunned the Cards 41-38 to take the Governor's Cup. Matt Stone, The C-J

Louisville's Lamar Jackson talks with his mother, Felicia Jones, after a game at Clemson on Oct. 1. Despite being the Heisman Trophy favorite, Jackson and his family have kept a low profile, preferring the spotlight to remain on Jackson only while he's on the field. Grant Halverson/Getty Images

U of L distributed this Lamar Jackson flip book, which shows his hurdle play against Syracuse when you flip through the pages quickly, on Saturday night before the Wake Forest game. Nov. 12, 2016. Steve Jones, Courier-Journal

Louisville's Lamar Jackson had three passing touchdowns for 355 yards and one rushing touchdown as the Cardinals rolled to 54-13 win over NC State Saturday, Oct. 22. He had six receptions for one touchdown and 118 yards. Matt Stone, The C-J

Ballard High School student and cancer patient Amzie Smith received a football with a personal message from Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson before the Duke game Friday evening. Matt Stone, The C-J

Ballard High School student and cancer patient Amzie Smith received a hug as well as a football with a personal message "Keep Fighting, Stay Strong" from Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson before the Duke game Friday evening. Matt Stone, The C-J

Louisville's Lamar Jackson (8) runs away from the Florida State defense and scores a touchdown on Saturday at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. UofL won 63-20. (Photo by David Lee Hartlage, Special to The Courier-Journal) Sept.17, 2016 David Lee Hartlage

Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) scores a touchdown against Florida State on Saturday at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. (Photo by David Lee Hartlage, Special to The Courier-Journal) Sept.17, 2016 David Lee Hartlage

Louisville's Lamar Jackson leaps into the air to celebrate with RB Brandon Jackson after Jackson scored the Cardinals' first touchdown against Florida State. Jackson scored three touchdowns in the first half. Matt Stone, The C-J

Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) shouts at Jaylen Smith (9) after Smith scores a touchdown against Florida State on Saturday at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. (Photo by David Lee Hartlage, Special to The Courier-Journal) Sept.17, 2016 David Lee Hartlage

U of L’s Lamar Jackson, right, congratulates Keyth Hall, 9, after he hits a three-point shot during an impromptu shoot-around with children at the California Community Center.
Apr. 7, 2016 Sam Upshaw Jr.; The C-J

University of Louisville quarterback LaMar Jackson (8) is pressured by the University of Houston's Tyus Powers (81) during the first half at Papa John's Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky. September 12, 2015 John Sommers II/Special to the CJ

University of Louisville quarterback LaMar Jackson (8) fights to break free from University of Houston's William Jackson (3) during the first half of play at Papa John's Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky. September 12, 2015 John Sommers II/Special to the CJ

Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson runs out of bounds near the goal line which set up a Brandon Radcliff touchdown in the fourth quarter. It wasn't enough as the Cards fell 31-24 to the Tigers. Sept. 5, 2015 Matt Stone/The Courier-Journal

Louisville's Lamar Jackson celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the TaxSlayer Bowl against Mississippi State. Jackson ran for 158 yards and threw for 171, but threw four interceptions in the team's loss. Dec. 30, 2017. By Pat McDonogh / CJ

U of L’s Lamar Jackson (8) celebrates after leaping into the endzone as he scores against Mississippi State during the TaxSlayer Bowl in Jacksonville.
Dec. 30, 2017 Sam Upshaw Jr./Louisville Courier Journal

You would like to think it is explosiveness and not skin color that causes people like Hall of Fame executive Bill Polian to project Jackson as a wide receiver. You would like to think the concerns expressed by Jarrett Bell of USA TODAY and Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News reflect a pattern of black quarterbacks being redeployed to other positions rather than the particulars of Jackson’s situation.

You would also like to think the accuracy issues Jackson experienced at Louisville were a temporary glitch sure to be corrected through intensive instruction in the pros.

What you know for sure, though, is that you never really know about NFL quarterbacks until they start playing in the NFL.

Here follow the week's Top 10 sports quotes, pending a possible position switch:

10. Tim Tebow, Heisman Trophy winner turned New York Mets minor-leaguer, on his efforts to stand out: “If you’re normal and you’re average, you fit in with the crowd, but you never have a chance to be special. I would rather be an outlier and fail than I would be normal.” (CNBC)

9. DeMar Derozan, Toronto Raptors star, on his battles with depression: “It’s one of them things that no matter how indestructible we look like we are, we’re all human at the end of the day,” the 28-year-old Raptors all-star said. “We all got feelings ... all of that. Sometimes ... it gets the best of you, where times everything in the whole world’s on top of you.” (Toronto Star)

8. Mike Jeffcoat, Texas Wesleyan baseball coach, to a Colorado-based prospect: "Thanks for the interest in our program. Unfortunately, we are not recruiting players from the state of Colorado. In the past, players have had trouble passing our drug test. We have made a decision to not take a chance on student-athletes from your state. You can thank your liberal politicians. Best of luck wherever you decide to play." (Recruiting letter)

7. Barack Obama, former president, on college basketball’s financial model: "It's just not a sustainable way of doing business. Then when everybody acts shocked that some kid from extraordinarily poor circumstances who's got 5, 10, 15 million dollars waiting for him is going to be circled by everybody in a context in which people are making billions of dollars, it's not good." (Sloan Sports Analytics Conference)

6. Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat star, on Parkland shooting victim Joaquin Oliver being buried in his jersey: “You really can’t put that in words. You hurt for the family, and if you’re able to get an opportunity to speak to them, you just try to hope that the time where he was alive, that you were able to bring some form of joy to his life and something memorable, a story that you guys can talk about.

“I don’t even know the word for it. Like I retweeted on Twitter, I said, ‘You’re going to make me cry.’ It’s emotional even thinking about that, that his parents felt that burying him in my jersey is something that he wanted.” (Sun-Sentinel)

5. Jose Altuve, Houston Astros’ American League Most Valuable Player, on a spring training encounter with New York Mets’ Noah Syndergaard: “If he throws that (92 mile-per-hour) changeup to me 100 times, he’s going to strike me out 100 times.” (Newsday)

4. Sean Miller, University of Arizona basketball coach, disputing ESPN report of incriminating wiretaps: "Let me be very, very clear: I have never discussed with Christian Dawkins paying Deandre Ayton to attend the University of Arizona. In fact, I never even met or spoke to Christian Dawkins until after Deandre publicly announced that he was coming to our school. Any reporting to the contrary is inaccurate, false and defamatory." (News conference)

3. Doris Burke, ESPN analyst for NBA games, on aging: “I promise you I’m not having plastic surgery. I’m 52. I’ve earned every wrinkle on my face. I actually like my wrinkles. And guess what? There are a lotta 60-year-old men who have wrinkles, no hair, glasses, and nobody gives a damn. It’s about time that a woman my age or above, if she chooses to go into her 60s as an announcer, she should be allowed to do just that.” (HBO Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel)

2. LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers star, on the NCAA: "I am not a fan of the NCAA. The NCAA is corrupt, we know that. Sorry, it’s going to make headlines, but it’s corrupt. ... I don't know if there is any fixing the NCAA. It's been going on for many, many years. I don't know how you can fix it, I don't see how you can fix it. Obviously, I have never been a part it, but I do know what five–star athletes bring to a campus." (Interview session)

1. Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs coach, on Laura Ingraham telling LeBron James to “shut up and dribble.”: “When I heard about that it was just an unbelievable show of arrogance for a talking head to try and tell someone else if they can speak, what they can speak about and when and where to do it. It's just ludicrous, but (also) to not have a feel for who this guy is (is disappointing).

"I mean, think about when he came into public view, how young was he? And to this day he hasn't missed a step, he hasn't fallen off the ledge and he's been a brilliant example for millions of kids, especially kids with lesser opportunity and haven't had the same advantages as others. They see in this guy somebody who has consistently exhibited excellence in the workplace and gives them a voice and lets them know that you can speak about anything." (Interview session)